


The Ones We Loved and Lost

by brooklyn_724



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Wicked Powers Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/F, F/M, First Kiss, M/M, Sex, Sherlock and Watson, Slow Burn, cute dates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 06:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17617358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklyn_724/pseuds/brooklyn_724
Summary: Kit never thought the day would come when he’d be, once again, walking up the familiar wide, almost never ending staircase of the Los Angeles Institute. It looked just as it had the last time he laid his eyes upon it. Dark grey walls, pale windows — a glow that only those of the Shadow World would recognise. The two, large wooden doors of the Institute glowered down at him as he approached. They looked different now that he was older. Not as daunting, but still large and threatening. He felt as if they were judging him; judging him for leaving his home with the Blackthorns and the family he’d created; judging him for leaving Ty.—Three and a half years have passed since Kit had separated from the Blackthorns. Upon his return, he learns to confront his past mistakes and rebuild his relationship with the family bound not by blood, but by love. In doing so, he fights to be a part of Ty’s life once again. But Ty is weary. He does not want to be hurt again.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first Kit and Ty Fanfic! I haven’t written in ages so hopefully my writing improves over the course of this fic! It will be a slow burn so bear with me! It’ll be worth it!

_ “I wish — I wish I’d never even known you.” _

 

* * *

 

Kit never thought the day would come when he’d be, once again, walking up the familiar wide, almost never ending staircase of the Los Angeles Institute. It looked just as it had the last time he laid his eyes upon it. Dark grey walls, pale windows — a glow that only those of the Shadow World would recognise. The two, large wooden doors of the Institute glowered down at him as he approached. They looked different now that he was older. Not as daunting, but still large and threatening. He felt as if they were judging him; judging him for leaving his home with the Blackthorns and the family he’d created; judging him for leaving Ty.

 

_ Ty. _

 

The male knew his old friend would not be inside the Institute walls, taking care of tiny creatures or reading a book. Instead, he was at the Scholomance, living out a dream he’d had since he was a small child. Kit was happy for him, really. Though that did nothing to diminish the hole in his heart. The hole that belonged to Ty — that would  _ always _ belong to Ty. 

 

Raising a hand to knock on the large double doors, his knuckles met the wood three times before a loud click was heard and the right door swung open. 

 

Emma Carstairs, the blonde haired female version of the hero Jace Herondale, as she liked to be called, answered the door with a wide smile and bright piercing blue eyes. She looked older, since Kit had seen her last. A young adult now, twenty or so. “Kit!” she squealed excitedly as she flung her arms around him, squeezing him tight. “By the angel, you’ve gotten so hot! Jace has got a new rival!”.

 

Kit huffed out a laugh as he wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the familiar scent of the ocean that wafted through every Blackthorn, even the ones not bound by blood. “I’ve always been hot,” he drawled teasingly. “But now that I’m eighteen, you’re allowed to notice it.” 

 

The female rolled her eyes playfully before slowly pulling away, her blue orbs studying him closely as she now inclined her head to look at him. She was now at least a head shorter than him. Kit had grown tall. Really tall. “How have you been?” she asked him as she opened the door wider and yanked him inside. “We all missed you so much!”.

 

“I missed you all too,” Kit responded. And he had. He thought about them all every single day. Especially Ty. 

 

“Julian!” Emma called as she practically dragged Kit towards the kitchen. “Guess who is here! It’s our favourite Herondale!”.

 

“Jace is here?” Kit heard a familiar female voice ask from inside the kitchen that he had once shared pancakes with Ty. The voice was not quite as he remembered it, but it did sound like Dru. 

 

Emma laughed. “You wish, Dru,” she teased before she shoved Kit in front of her and into the room where the magic happens. 

 

A sixteen year old Dru was seated at the bench with a black ‘My Chemical Romance’ t-shirt on with a plain black pair of ripped jeans. Her thick brown hair was tied up into a high ponytail, the same as Emma’s, and her blue-green orbs were wide as they fell upon the once lost Herondale, now standing in her kitchen. She looked just as Kit remembered her, maybe a little older. Dru had already looked older than her age, but it was only now that she was starting to catch up. She was still just as beautiful; curves and all. Kit couldn’t help but wonder if she had now come to accept her body in all it’s beauty. She’d often been pestered about it by Paige Ashdown. 

 

“Hi,” he said almost shyly. 

 

“Hi,” she said back. 

 

Julian, who’d been baking some pancakes for breakfast, slowly turned his head at the sound of the quiet voices. Well, not Emma’s voice. He’d grown used to her loud and  _ sometimes _ annoying voice that he often shut it out. But it was a familiar male voice, followed by his younger sister’s, that caught his attention. 

 

Blinking in surprise, Julian’s blue-green orbs fell upon the young male who he’d once considered a younger brother. Of course, that had been before he’d discovered the words he’d said to Ty.  _ I wish I _ **_’_ ** _ d never even known you.  _ Julian knew his younger brother had not forgotten those words and carried it with him until this day. Since then, Ty had not been willing to let  _ anyone  _ outside of the family close to him. It wasn’t surprising. But without having Livvy, Julian was worried for him. 

 

“Hello, Kit,” he greeted politely, a small smile reachibg his lips. “Welcome back.”

 

Kit met his gaze and swallowed hard. Even behind that smile, Julian’s protective nature shone through. “Thanks,” he managed to speak up. “It’s good to be back.”

 

Although Julian was at least twenty or twenty one, he didn’t look that much older than he did years ago when he’d almost single handedly saved the Clave from corruption. There was still something young and youthful about him, yet old and wise at the same time. Julian was a complex being, Kit decided. It was better not to try and unravel him. 

 

“Dru,” Julian spoke up. “Why don’t you show Kit to his old room? It’s been a while.”

 

_ I know where it is,  _ Kit thought silently. But he decided not to say a word. It would be nice to have some time alone with Dru anyway. She’d changed a lot, of course, but she seemed the most familiar out of everyone. 

 

Dru climbed to her feet without complaint, offered Kit a weary smile, and gestured for him to follow her. She slipped out of the Kitchen, down the long corridor, and towards the staircase. 

 

“Thank you for having me,” he murmured to Julian quietly before quickly following after Dru, his footsteps smooth and quick against the wooden floorboards. 

 

Once he caught up to her, he released a shaky breath and opened his mouth to speak. “Have you been keeping in touch with Ty?” he whispered almost nervously. “How is he? Is the Scholomance treating him well?”. 

 

Dru didn’t say a word for several long moments. Kit almost feared she wasn’t going to say anything at all. Then, once they reached the familiar old bedroom that had once belonged to Kit, she reluctantly answered his question. “Ty writes to Julian. He says he’s enjoying himself. I assume the Scholomance  _ is _ treating him well considering Julian has not burned it all down.”

 

Kit shivered.  _ He  _ had not treated Ty well in the end, yet Julian had not burned  _ him  _ down. He said nothing though. Only nodded. 

 

“Helen and Aline don’t live here anymore,” Dru told him as if to start conversation. “They live in Alicante. I think they’re really happy.”

 

The smile on Kit’s face was genuine. “I’m glad.” Heline and Aline had always been kind to him. They deserved to be happy. Even if it meant being in Alicante, a city that Kit was not eager to return to.

 

“Mark and Cristina are in Mexico at the moment,” Dru added. “But they live here. They’re happy too.”

 

“And Tavvy?” Kit asked. He was so used to seeing the youngest Blackthorn with Drusilla that his absence seemed odd. 

 

“I wouldn’t call him that,” Dru mused, her eyes sparkling with what Kit could have sworn was humour. “Tavvy is his ‘baby’ name. He’d like to be called Octavian.”

 

Kit arched an eyebrow. “Seriously?”.

 

Dru laughed as she opened his bedroom door and stepped inside. “Octavian is staying with Magnus and Alec for a while. He’s good friends with Max and Rafe; he enjoys being with kids his age. You know, since being like twelve is  _ way  _ too young to hang out with me.” 

 

“I was looking forward to seeing how much he’s grown,” Kit frowned as he stepped inside after her. His old bedroom was just as he remembered. Small yet comfortable. A single wooden bed decorated with white sheets lay on the right side of the bedroom wall. Next to it, was a small dark brown bedside table. On the back wall, was a small desk and a white chair. Then on the left was his wardrobe the same colour as his desk and bedside table. “When will he return?”.

 

“For  _ Ty’s  _ birthday, of course,” Dru replied. 

 

Kit felt as if the ground beneath his feet had given way. Ty’s Birthday. Of course. But that meant…

 

“Yes,” Dru answered his unspoken question. “Ty’s coming back. He’ll be visiting the Institute for a couple of weeks. For his birthday.”

 

His birthday. It was in a week. He hadn’t seen Ty in years. But now…

 

“You’ll be fine,” Dru assured him as she wandered back towards the door. “He’ll want to see you. It’ll be a good surprise.”

 

Kit felt his eyes widen. “Surprise?” he echoed. “Wait, Ty doesn’t know I’m back?”.

 

Dru hesitated. “I wanted to tell him, I really did. But Jules said that if Ty knew…” her voice trailed off and she released a shaky breath. “...if Ty knew he may not want to return.”

 

The truth hurt. But it was better than living a lie. Ty wouldn’t want to see him. Not after everything that had happened. Kit had let his best friend down. And all because of what? Unrequited feelings? “Maybe I should go, then.”

 

“No!” Dru said almost instantly. “We’re all glad that you’re back. Even Ty. You two need to talk, anyway.”

 

_ I wish — I wish I’d never even known you.  _ Those words he’d spoken to Ty still haunted him. He hadn’t meant them. Yet they were out in the world. Ty had heard them and probably still carried them inside his heart. If only he carried the words,  _ I love you, Ty,  _ instead.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos & comments on Chapter One! It means a lot. I hope you enjoy this following chapter. It's still a little slow but I'm hoping you'll like it.
> 
> P.S Emma has brown eyes, not blue. I am stupid.

_ “I love you, Ty, I love you.” _

 

* * *

 

Two days had passed since Kit’s arrival at the LA Institute. He spent most of his time either in the training room or the Library — avoiding Julian, in particular. It wasn’t that he  _ didn’t _ want to spend time with the Blackthorn who carried the Institute on his shoulders now that Aline and Helen had gone, it was just that he  _ didn’t _ want to have the conversation of  _ Ty  _ coming up. Two days had passed and mission: avoid Julian was going relatively well. That was, until, the paint covered male entered the training room where Kit was currently throwing knives. Just the way Ty had taught him.

 

“Kit!” Julian called out, his brown mop of hair blowing backwards as he practically jogged towards the younger male. “I’ve been looking for you.”

 

A silent curse escaped the teenager’s throat as he lowered his throwing arm and slowly turned around to face the older male. This was it. This was when Julian finally unleashed on him and demanded retribution for his brother’s broken heart. Bracing himself, Kit straightened up and clenched his jaw. He was about the same height as Julian now, maybe a little taller, yet the other Shadowhunter was no less intimidating. Julian had this way of  _ always _ seeming bigger than he was. Perhaps that was how he took on the role as a parent at such a young age. 

 

“How — how are you settling in?” Julian asked, almost sounding as if he were nervous.

 

Kit blinked and almost forgot to respond. “Oh, good,” he answered after several long moments. “Really good.”

 

“Diana apologises for not being here,” Julian said as if Kit hadn’t said anything at all. “She told me to say hello and wish you well.”

 

Diana. Kit almost forgot about her. Guilt washed over him like a wave that crashed far too early. “That’s very nice of her.”

 

Julian studied him closely for several long moments before clearing his throat. “I just wanted to talk to you about Ty.”

 

_ This is it,  _ Kit thought to himself,  _ this is where Julian burns me down for hurting his brother _

 

“I’m sure Dru has informed you that he’ll be returning in a couple of days,” Julian started, voice low. “For his birthday.”

 

Kit nodded. She had. And it’s all the young Herondale had been able to think about. What did Ty look like now? How was he? Would he forgive him? Would he look at him? Or would he shut him out? 

 

“I don’t know what  _ exactly  _ happened between you both,” Julian went on. “But I hope you understand that Ty is  _ still _ healing. If you hurt him again, I am going to have to ask that you leave. And I don’t want to, Kit, but Ty comes first.”

 

“I don’t plan to hurt him,” Kit responded evenly despite his uneasy breath. “But — but he hurt  _ me,  _ as well. Everyone seems to forget that.” 

 

Julian hesitated. “I don’t know what happened between you. But I can _assure_ you that Ty cares about you very much. More than anything. He would have never hurt you on purpose, nor would he wish to continue doing so.”

 

_ Cares about you.  _ Not  _ cared,  _ but  _ cares.  _ Did Kit still have a chance to reconcile with him? 

 

“Kit?” the Blackthorn echoed. 

 

“I’m just — I’m just looking forward to seeing Ty again,” Kit admitted. “And I want to fix things.” It was true. He  _ did  _ want to fix things. He just wasn’t sure  _ how.  _ Ty might not let him in again, especially not when it was almost a  _ miracle  _ he’d let him in in the first place. 

 

To his surprise, Julian placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “As I said, Ty cares about you. I’m sure with time, you two will mend the close bond you had all those years ago.” 

 

_ Interesting,  _ Kit thought mildly,  _ Julian used the word bond instead of friendship.  _ “Yeah,” he eventually whispered. “I’m sure we will.”

 

__________________

 

Mark Blackthorn, with Cristina Rosales at his side, entered the Scholomance with a grim expression. He did not like the Scholomance. Nor did he like the way the young Shadowhunter who had answered the door had glared at him. Half-breed — that was what the Nephilim called him. He did not mind. It did not upset him the way it used to. 

 

Despite his grimness, he did feel a wave of excitement as he followed their escort down the long corridor leading to his brother’s  chambers. He was taking Ty home — to the Los Angeles Institute. It was only for a couple of weeks. But that was enough. Mark couldn’t wait to embrace him. 

 

“You’re smiling,” Cristina chuckled as she looped her arm through her boyfriend’s. “A second ago you were scowling. What are you thinking about?”.

 

Mark glanced sideways at her. “I’m thinking about our family,” he whispered softly. “And that we’re all going to be back together. At least for a little while.”

 

Cristina nodded, a small smile of her own forming. “It will be nice. A shame Diana will miss it, though.”

 

“She feels terrible about it,” Mark sighed. 

 

“How do you think Ty will be?” Cristina asked almost wearily. “His last couple of Birthdays have been hard.” 

 

They had been hard, Mark agreed. Ty hadn’t really wanted to celebrate. All he’d said was that he wanted to spend time with Livvy. And with that, he’d disappeared. No one really understood what he’d meant. “Well, now that he’s turning eighteen, maybe things will be different,” Mark spoke up finally.

 

Cristina didn’t have the chance to form a response. The young Shadowhunter who had greeted them upon arrival had stopped in front of a small wooden door with a golden plaque labelled;  _ Tiberius Blackthorn.  _

 

“Is this his room?” Mark asked. 

 

The Shadowhunter nodded without uttering a word and simply gestured for the Blackthorn and Rosales to knock. It was Cristina who raised her hand and pressed her knuckles against the wood. Within seconds, the door creaked open and Tiberius Blackthorn, dressed not in his Scholomance uniform but instead black jeans and a grey sweater, stepped out into the hall with a black bag clutched in his left hand. A pair of headphones, old and worn, were wrapped comfortably around his neck while a book snuck it’s way in between his armpit. Cristina couldn’t help but smile. To her surprise, Ty smiled back. 

 

“Hello, Cristina,” he greeted her, his voice calm and soft. “Hello, Mark.”

 

The female glanced sideways at her boyfriend. She could tell he was holding back tears of joy and struggling to suppress the urge to wrap his arms around his brother. Mark learned the hard way that Ty did not like to be embraced unexpectedly.

 

“Hello, Tiberius,” he almost whispered. It had been months since he’d seen him last. “I see you’re all packed.” 

 

Ty gave him a small nod. “Yes.” 

 

Mark said nothing and without uttering a word, Ty took an almost hesitant step towards him. In seconds, the two Blackthorns embraced one another and held each other firmly. It was Ty who broke away first.

 

“We should go,” Cristina said quietly. “Julian and the others will be eager to see you.”

 

Ty, nodding his head, shut the bedroom door behind him before following Mark and Cristina out of the Scholomance. It was that time of year again. His godforsaken birthday. 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you all for reading this fic so far and leaving kudos! I really, really appreciate it. As for this chapter, it is not very long but Kit and Ty will finally meet! I'm really excited to publish the upcoming chapters but for now, you must bear with me.

_“You are mad at me.”_

 

_“Yes, I am mad at you.”_

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Kit!”.

 

Drusilla’s voice jerked the eighteen year old from his sleep, her fists slamming against his bedroom door repetitively. Kit groaned. It was far too early in the morning to be woken up by his annoying little sister. His eyes flew open. _Sister._ No, he’d thrown away the right to call her that years ago.

 

“Kit!” Dru called out again, the door threatening to be thrown off of it’s hinge.

 

Reluctantly shifting into a seated position, Kit ran his fingers through his messy golden curls and grumpily called out that he was awake.

 

Within seconds, the door flung open and the sixteen year old Blackthorn stepped inside without invitation. Kit shot her a look. Not only was his hair a mess and his muscular chest bare for all to see, but his blue and yellow spongebob boxers were clearly in sight. In one swift movement, he pulled the blanket up to cover his waist and crossed his arms over his chest. Dru barely paid him any attention. She seemed excited. Yet also...nervous. It didn’t take him long to figure out why. Ty was back. Four days before his Birthday. Crap.

 

“Is he downstairs?” he asked quietly, his voice barely a whisper.

 

Dru shook her head as she shut the door behind her. “Unfortunately, he’s not here yet. Apparently he insisted on visiting a Library on the way back. Mark could not refuse.”

 

Kit’s lips cracked into a small smile. Ty still enjoyed visiting different Libraries.

 

“But he’ll be here soon,” Dru added. “You should get dressed.” She gave him a long long, her blue-green orbs travelling over his muscular arms and chest. “On second thought, you can keep your shirt off. Ty won’t mind.”

 

Rolling his eyes playfully, Kit shooed her out before sauntering towards his wardrobe and choosing his clothes. _This_ was vital. His choice in clothing needed to enhance his physique — make him look good.

 

_Wait._

 

_Hold on._

 

Why did it matter how he looked? Ty would not spare him a glance anyway. Yet Kit couldn’t help but _want_ the other boy to look his way — to like what he saw.

 

Biting his lip, Kit shoved any thoughts of Ty out of his mind as he changed into a light blue buttoned down t-shirt with white dots breaking up the blue. His choice in trousers were quite limited. There were his black shadowhunting gear, black jeans, and a caramel coloured pair of chinos. Kit chose the chinos. Reaching for his black leather jacket, he swung it over his shoulders and kicked on his combat boots. A quick glance in the mirror had him combing his fingers through his hair and neatening it up so he looked presentable. Once satisfied with his appearance, he slipped out of his bedroom and bolted downstairs. Everyone was in the Kitchen.

 

“Have you made enough pancakes for everyone?” Kit heard Emma asking.

 

“Of course I have,” Julian replied. “I mean, as long as you don’t pig out.”

 

Kit entered the kitchen in time to see Julian wrap his arms around the blonde from behind, gently pressing his lips against her neck. Dru groaned and covered her eyes. Emma only grinned.

 

“Good morning, Jace Herondale Junior,” Emma greeted him as she leaned into her boyfriend. “You look very handsome.”

 

Julian raised his blue-green orbs to study him. It seemed the older male agreed with his girlfriend. But, unlike Emma, there was a glint in his eye that told Kit that Julian had something else in mind. Such thoughts made the boy nervous.

 

“Will Tavvy be arriving today as well?” Kit asked curiously as he slipped into the chair beside Dru.

 

“No,” Julian answered. “I told Magnus and Alec to send him tomorrow.”

 

Kit dipped his head in a small nod. As if on cue, there was a loud knock on the front doors to the Institute. The whole building fell silent. Kit tensed, Drusilla drew in a sharp breath, and Julian and Emma raced towards the door.

 

There was a murmur at the front of the Institute as the doors opened and voices filled the hall. Kit recognised Mark and Cristina, their voices light and happy. Although Ty had not yet said a word, the Herondale knew he was there because of Julian’s quiet sob and Emma’s gentle words.

 

Without warning, Dru grabbed Kit’s hand and practically dragged him towards her siblings. Kit didn’t even have a chance to protest. In seconds, he and the younger female were standing behind Jules and Emma, eyes wide and lips parted.

 

“Mark!” Dru squealed as she ran towards her eldest brother, jumping up into his arms.

 

Kit vaguely heard Mark whisper her name as he gathered her into his arms. She was greeting Cristina hurriedly but kept her arms around her brother.

 

Emma, meanwhile, had her arms wrapped around her friend from Mexico and Julian was standing beside Ty, a hand on his shoulder.

 

_Ty._

 

Kit was stunned.

 

 _Beautiful,_ he thought silently as his piercing blue orbs rested on the boy who had once called him Watson. The memories stung but his mind was fixed on the fact that Ty really was beautiful. No, that was an understatement. There was no word to describe what Ty was. He was an angel — inside and out.

 

Dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose grey sweater that complimented his eyes, Ty looked just as he had when Kit had told him he loved him. Only more beautiful. And mature. His dark brown, almost black hair was in need of a trim, but it fell nicely over the other boy’s forehead. Just as it had been years ago, Ty’s skin was pale and lips pink. What changed, which Kit found surprising, was that Ty no longer looked like the fragile boy he’d often been mistaken to be. Time at the Scholomance must have involved intense physical training because even in the loose grey sweater, Kit could spy the muscle beneath. By the _angel_ , he wanted to touch those muscles.

 

Dru finally released her hold on Mark and looked towards her soon-to-be eighteen year old brother. She did not hug him, but offered him a warm smile in which he half-heartedly returned. Everyone knew why.

 

Ty, upon observing his surroundings, had located Kit. His whole body had tensed and he’d lowered his gaze. Julian offered him comfort with a firm shoulder squeeze. It did not, however, prevent Ty from reaching for his headphones and propping them over his ears.

 

Kit frowned and lowered his own gaze. No one said anything for a long moment, silence filling the thick air. Then, Raziel bless her, Emma invited everyone into the Kitchen. Kit was the first one to turn and leave.

 

 _You are mad at me,_ he remembered Ty saying all those years ago. He’d sounded so small, so innocent. Kit wondered what his voice sounded like now.

 

 _Yes, I am mad at you,_ the Herondale had replied. Ironic, now that it was Ty who was the one mad.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you all for reading this far in to the fanfic. I hope you've enjoyed it. I couldn't help myself & so I'll be posting yet another chapter. I hope it pleases you.

_ Beautiful.  _

 

 

* * *

 

Breakfast wasn’t  _ as _ awkward as Kit expected. Mark and Cristina spoke of their adventures in Mexico and Dru, when appropriate, would chime in with questions regarding Jaime. Kit suspected she had a crush on the male but said nothing. 

 

Emma spoke of her own adventures here in Los Angeles, which were mostly indirect references to sex with Julian. Mark looked confused, Julian looked appalled while Cristina and Emma giggled like school children. Dru understood the subliminal messages but did not find them amusing. Obviously she shared Julian’s sense of humour. 

 

Kit, on the other hand, probably would have laughed if his attention wasn’t solely fixed on Ty. The boy was eating quietly, his headphones still clasped over his ears with the faint sound of classical music buzzing through the speakers. He had not looked up once since they’d all sat around the table for breakfast. Kit knew why. He’d left him all those years ago, without a word. No goodbye. He’d been foolish to think Ty would not care. Now he was paying the price. 

 

“Quit staring,” Dru hissed lowly as she kicked him beneath the table. “You’re going to freak him out.”

 

Reluctantly, Kit averted his gaze and glanced over at Dru. She was shaking her head at him while cutting into her pancakes. He’d hurt Dru, he realised, too. But for some reason, she’d forgiven him. Perhaps she’d decided that her responsibility was to protect Ty, rather than to hate Kit. Regardless, Kit was grateful that she hadn’t shunned him out. 

 

“How’s Jem and Tessa, Kit?” Emma asked him curiously as she leaned forward in her seat, her elbows resting comfortably on the marble bench. “And little Liam, of course.”

 

Kit fixed his gaze on Emma. She wasn’t the only one looking at him now. Julian, Mark and Cristina were all staring at him, awaiting his answer as if he were the only one in the room. Ty still hadn’t looked up though. “They’re all really good,” he answered finally. “Jem and Tess are really good parents and William's a great kid.”

 

“Do you miss them?”. It was Julian who voiced the question, his blue-green orbs darkening enough for Kit to feel a cold shiver run down his spine. Ty, his gaze still downcast, had noticeably tensed. Kit knew then that he was listening. He wasn’t sure why it made him more nervous, though.

 

“Yes,” he answered Julian’s question. “I do miss them. A lot. But I am happy to be back here. With  _ all  _ of you.”

 

Ty, without uttering a word, swiftly climbed to his feet and walked out of the Kitchen. In seconds, Julian followed. Kit felt as though he were going to be sick. Was it something he said, or something he didn’t say? Whatever it was, he’d clearly upset Ty. Was this how it was always going to be from now on? Avoiding one another? A constant, overwhelming silence? Kit wasn’t sure he could take it. 

 

Only minutes later, Julian returned to the kitchen, a grim expression on his face. “Ty’s settling into his bedroom,” he informed them. “I think he just needs some time alone.”

 

_ Because of me,  _ Kit thought bitterly. He couldn’t take it any longer. Ty couldn’t avoid him forever and Kit couldn’t avoid Ty forever. Enough was enough. Kit needed to grow some balls and  _ talk  _ to Ty; to try and fix things. It wasn’t just fifteen year old Ty that meant a lot to him, the eighteen year old Ty meant just as much. 

 

Without a word of warning, the young Herondale abruptly climbed to his feet and sauntered out of the Kitchen. He heard Dru call his name but neglected to respond. His mind was fixed on Ty and Ty alone. He had no idea what he was going to say to him. Perhaps the Herondale charm would kick in under pressure. 

 

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of Ty’s bedroom door. There was silence on the other side. Kit wondered if the Blackthorn had heard him approaching or whether he remained oblivious. He prayed for the latter; he did not want Ty to hastily lock the door and climb out of the window just to avoid him. 

 

Building up the courage to raise his hand towards the door, his knuckles met the wood three times. He was met with silence. And then; “Who is it?”. 

 

Kit felt a jolt run through him. Ty’s voice. It had changed. It was deeper, smoother — like the ocean falling calmly over the sand banks.  _ It was beautiful _ , Kit thought with some regret. He wanted to hear it again. 

 

“Who  _ is  _ it?” Ty repeated.

 

“It’s Kit,” the male replied somewhat nervously. “I wanted to talk to you.”

 

Silence. 

 

“Ty?” he urged. 

 

Again, there was only silence. 

 

Kit was not surprised. He’d expected to be ignored, to be an outsider in Ty’s little world. But it still hurt. And he would not,  _ could  _ not, give up. Not again. 

 

“Ty,” he repeated. “Please. I’ve missed you. Don’t shut me out. Let me explain everything. Let me apologise.”

 

For a long moment, Kit thought that perhaps Ty had put his headphones on and completely shut out the world. But, after a minute or two of silence, the bedroom door slowly creaked open and there Ty stood, his grey jumper discarded only to reveal a short-sleeved navy blue shirt that hugged his biceps and abdomen. Kit felt his breath hitch.  _ Beautiful. Ty was completely and utterly beautiful.  _ His soft, smooth skin was pale but not in a sickly, uneasy way. It reminded Kit of a story he’d heard Tessa reading to her son. A story of an evil Queen who wanted to be the fairest of them all in order to be beautiful. Ty would win over the Queen any day. 

 

Clearing his throat, Kit fought to say a word. Anything. But in Ty’s presence, alone, all words failed him. His lips parted, but that was all he could manage. Ty stared at him, clearly waiting. 

 

“You said you wanted to talk,” Ty stated flatly, his grey eyes dark yet tainted with curiosity. “Were you lying?”.

 

_ No,  _ Kit wanted to say, but only a choked sound escaped his throat.  _ Pathetic,  _ he thought coldly,  _ he was completely and utterly pathetic. _ Honestly, he had not anticipated on Ty actually opening the door for him, yet alone  _ speaking  _ to him. 

 

“Are you unwell?” Ty asked him, tilting his head to the side, his eyes resting on Kit’s shoulder. 

 

Kit shook his head. “No,” he managed to breathe out, his voice wavering slightly. “I’m just — I’m just relieved you opened the door.” 

 

Ty said nothing and waited in silence. Kit realised it was because  _ he  _ had been the one who’d wanted to talk and had insisted on starting a conversation. At least Ty was giving him a chance. All he had to do now was not blow it. 

 

“I — I am really sorry, Ty,” he began softly, his piercing blue orbs filling with tears that he rarely allowed to form in the presence of others. “I know I had been selfish in leaving. I know — I know I should have said goodbye and to explain, at the very least. I was upset and angry. And I realise now that it wasn’t even at you. It was at myself. The whole necromancy thing was just too much, Ty. I fought so hard to make you happy and in the end, I failed and hurt you instead. And for that I am sorry. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me and allow me to be your Watson again.”

 

The words just rolled off of his tongue in an even flow. Even though he’d practiced this scenario in his head at least a thousand times, every word he spoke was in the moment. Yet it wasn’t enough. He still felt as though his words made no difference. 

 

Ty was quiet. Almost too quiet. Kit feared that he’d blown it — that his old friend would slam the door shut and never speak to him again. But, after several long moments, Ty slowly opened his mouth to speak and the first words that came out were a massive relief for the young Herondale. Until, of course, the next sentence was formed. 

 

“I forgive you, Christopher,” he said quietly. “I’ll admit that I did not understand why you left without a goodbye or an explanation. I thought we were friends. But friends come and go, I understand that now. I am sorry too. I should not have dragged you into my dark magic scheme — even if you  _ did  _ seem  _ fine _ with it until the very last moment. I should have seen through you but I did not. My detective skills have improved since then.” 

 

Kit stared at him. What was he  _ talking  _ about? His detective skills have improved? He should have seen through him? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

 

“Ty,” he started almost wearily. “We  _ were  _ friends, and still  _ are _ if you wish us to be. I was never lying to you about that. I was just-“.

 

“Just what?” Ty demanded.

 

Kit hesitated.  _ Just upset that you did not care about me; that I meant nothing to you.  _ “I don’t know, Ty.”

 

“You were mad at me for trying to raise Livvy,” Ty stated. “But you didn’t even  _ try  _ to forgive me. You just left for your new family. As if we meant nothing.”

 

Eyes widening, Kit shook his head. “That is not true!” he protested. “Yes, I was mad. Yes, I left. But you and the others were not  _ nothing.  _ Jem and Tessa were not just some better option. I just felt like I  _ had  _ to go.”

 

Ty’s hands began to flutter at his sides. “Why? I don’t understand  _ why.” _

 

_ Because I loved you, Ty. And you did not love me back.  _ Kit swallowed hard, not willing to respond to the other boy’s words. 

 

“I know I am weird,” Ty went on, his voice surprisingly soft. “And different. A lot of people don’t like me for that. Or understand me. But I thought you were different too. I thought you did not care that I can’t handle crowds and need to wear my headphones. I thought you were the only person outside of my family that really  _ knew _ me. And then...you said you wished you hadn’t known me...” His voice trailed off and Kit could see the flash of hurt in his eyes. All he wanted to do was reach for him and take all the pain away. But Ty soldiered on. “I forgive you, Kit. But you are not my friend.”

 

Kit would have preferred a straight punch to the gut. It would have hurt less. 

 

_ You are not my friend _ . 

 

Ty’s words slammed into him like a ship into ice. Cold, blunt words that stated a truth that Kit spent three and a half years fearing.  _ You are not my friend.  _

 

Earning Ty’s forgiveness was a blessing, but losing his friendship was a curse. It was as though Kit had been put back together and torn apart all over again. He shouldn’t have expected Ty to just welcome him back after all these years. And to think that the boy thought it was all because Kit thought he was too much to handle. It was not that at all. But what else did he expect? He’d left without a word. 

 

“I  _ am  _ sorry, Ty,” he managed to breathe out finally. “Th-Thank you for listening to me and allowing me to apologise.”

 

Ty dipped his head in a small nod. His hands had stopped fluttering at his sides and his eyes seemed a little clearer. It was as though he felt better now that their ‘big’ conversation was over. Kit felt worse. There was a hole in his chest now, bigger than the one that had formed when he’d first left Ty. 

 

_ You are not my friend.  _

 

And boy did Kit know it.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I can't believe some of you are actually come back to read more of my fanfic. It means a lot. As for this chapter, it is a little short but it provides some insight into Kit and Ty's feelings (good and bad) towards one another now that they're reunited. I hope you enjoy!

_ You are not my friend. _

 

* * *

 

There were five words haunting Kit day and night.

 

_ You are not my friend.  _

 

The eighteen year old replayed them over and over again as if it would hurt less the more he listened to them. It was quite the opposite, actually. It only worsened the blow. 

 

_ You are not my friend.  _

 

An ache had formed in his chest and spread to all parts of his body, desperate to shift the emotional pain into something physical. He felt as if he were going to explode. Ty had forgiven him, and yet, it did nothing to repair what had been broken all those years ago. It was safe to say that he’d lost the young Blackthorn of whom he’d dedicated his first year of Shadowhunting too. Perhaps he’d lost him the moment Livvy had been struck by the blade and dropped to the ground. Or perhaps it happened later, when he’d realised he was in love and could do nothing about it. 

 

“Why do you cry all alone in the shadows?”. 

 

A familiar young, yet almost ancient voice, entered his chambers without the sound of his bedroom door creaking open first.  _ Odd,  _ he thought silently as he sniffled a cry.

 

Kit raised his head slowly and wiped away the tears that blurred his vision and streamed down his face. Crying in the presence of others was  _ not  _ how he wanted to spend his first week back in Los Angeles. 

 

At first, he saw no one. The bedroom door was definitely shut and from his position on the bed, he could practically see the entirety of his room. But, once his vision cleared and his crying ceased, his tear-glazed blue orbs rested upon the hauntingly beautiful ghost of Livia Blackthorn. 

 

She looked just as Kit had remembered her. The fifteen year old girl, dressed in white, who Ty had pulled back from the spirit world. Nothing had changed. Except for the sad smile resting upon her cold, almost distant features. She was Livvy. And yet someone else entirely. Her blue-green orbs studied him thoughtfully before she opened her mouth to speak.  

 

“You needn’t feel ashamed of your tears,” she said softly. “You aren’t the only one shedding them.” 

 

Kit felt his breath hitch. “Are you talking about Ty? Is he okay?”.

 

“Since your talk yesterday, Ty has not shed one tear,” Livvy answered, which made Kit, unsurprisingly, feel worse. However, then she added, “But I can  _ feel  _ his internal sadness.” 

 

The male swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. “I don’t know what more I could have done,” he whispered. 

 

Livvy moved towards him, her white dress flowing behind her as if an invisible wind blew past her. “Believe it or not, you did exactly what  _ needed _ to be done,” she whispered. “Ty appreciates your apology, Kit. But do you know  _ why _ he does not wish to be friends?”.

 

Kit shook his head.

 

“Because he thinks you  _ hate  _ him,” Ty’s twin answered. “He’ll always remember the words you spoke. It will take some time for him to forget.”

 

The Herondale released a shaky breath. “I wish he would remember the  _ other _ words I said to him,” he sighed.  _ I love you, Ty, I love you. _

 

“Perhaps you should remind him,” Livvy said with a small shrug. “Ty will realise the truth and let you in again. It just takes time.”

 

Kit doubted it but said nothing. There was no point in voicing the pain in his heart. Ty was not a person who would hold grudges and treat Kit like a criminal. But he did  _ remember  _ things. Once trust is broken, it is hard to rebuild. Maybe Livvy didn’t understand that, or she’d just forgotten.

 

As if she’d never even been there, Livia’s ghost vanished and Kit was once again left all alone to cry amidst the shadows.

 

—

 

It had been a long time since Ty had found refuge on an isolated Los Angeles beach, alone and uncaring of the world. His bare feet caressed the warm summer’s sand as he walked along the shore, ice cold water kissing his skin when he ventured too close to the ocean’s alluring waves, only to warm again once the sun shone over it. 

 

With his headphones wrapped comfortably around his neck and a book clasped in his left hand, Ty felt more at home than he had back at the Institute. The beach was his childhood. It was where he’d scanned the sand for shells, always choosing the pretty ones for Livvy and the larger ones to show Jules. He’d find crabs, starfish and all kinds of living things to add to his collection for study — things Julian would often urge him to return. And when Kit had come along, always seeming interested in what Ty had to say, he’d shown him the shells and animals too. Now he felt stupid for doing so. Kit probably had thought he was a weirdo. 

 

Finding a comfortable, shady spot beneath a tree, Ty lowered himself onto the sand and pulled out the small notebook he’d brought with him to the beach. It was a notebook that the young male used as a sort-of diary. He’d started it when Livvy had died and Kit had left. It was a coping mechanism for when he felt alone in the scholomance — when Livvy was gone for a few days at a time. 

 

He opened the book to a new page and pulled out a black pen he’d slipped into his pocket. It was a pen that Ty found comfortable to write with. His fingers seemed to enjoy the feeling of the cold plastic against his skin while he wrote. 

 

_ August 18,  _

 

_ Kit wanted to speak with me today. It was my first day back at the Los Angeles Institute and I had not anticipated his presence. He looks very handsome. And much taller than he had been the last I saw him. He almost reminds me of the sun — bright, golden and beautiful.  _

 

_ I did not wish to speak with him at first, but when he came to my door, I was curious. What did he so desperately wish to say? It was an apology. I forgave him. I apologised too. I think he forgave me as well. But I do not think I’d like to be friends again, as he suggested. I enjoyed our friendship. But he had hurt me once, what’s to stop him from doing it again? I’ve grown used to being on my own now. It does not do well to disrupt my routine.  _

 

_ I think he and Dru will have a friendship like the one we used to have. I trust that Dru will keep him happy. She’s a lot better at being a friend than I am.  _

 

_ I will miss him. Just as I always have. But the Sherlock and Watson duo we once had cannot simply be restored.  _

 

Ty closed the book slowly and glanced out at the Ocean. In the distance, he could see Livvy dancing above the water. Her dark hair blew around her as if she too felt the cool breeze, her dress twirling as she spun. She did not stay for long, though, and simply vanished as she always did. 

 

A quiet sigh escaped his throat. More than anything he wished she could have stayed forever. But seeing her, when he did, was more than enough. It was better than never seeing her again. 

 

Lost in his thoughts, the soon-to-be eighteen year old did not hear the sound of quiet footsteps approaching. It wasn’t until Dru was standing right in front of him, blocking out the sun, that Ty even realised someone was there.

 

“Hey,” she greeted before dumping herself onto the sand across from him. “Wanna go scan the beach for crabs?”.

 

Ty blinked as if not hearing her correctly. It had always been Livvy that asked such things. But since her death, Dru had taken on the role of doing things  _ he  _ wanted in order to cheer him up. She could never replaced his twin, but it was nice to have a little sister who  _ wanted  _ to spend time with him. He and Dru shared a secret; the secret of Livvy’s ghost and the secret that Dru knew how to pick locks. They’d grown closer since the events of three and a half years ago. Ty had always loved Dru, just as he had loved all his siblings, but they had a different relationship now than what they’d once had. 

 

“I haven’t seen any crabs in the sand today,” he answered calmly, his grey orbs resting on his sister’s shoulder. “I think they are hiding in the rocks.”

 

Dru’s smile was sweet. “We can go look in the rocks!” she suggested enthusiastically. “I love climbing on the rocks! Jules said it’s dangerous but I think he forgets that I’m sixteen.”

 

“It  _ is  _ dangerous,” Ty pointed out with a small, calm smile. “But I think we should do it.” 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome back to my fanfic where I will be very, very slowly shoving Kit and Ty together and making you lovely people wait for their relationship to blossom. But before we get to that, there will be pain, heartbreak and torment. So enjoy! In this chapter, Ty and Kit have a friendly encounter which will cause both boys to question where exactly they stand with one another. In the mean time, Tavvy will be arriving back in the Institute!

_ “Ty’s not my shadow,” said Kit crossly.  _

_   
_ _ * _

_ “My apologies. I suppose you’re his.” _

 

 

* * *

 

 

The world seemed to be spinning; or was it just Kit? He’d taken a hard blow to the head during training and even though ten minutes had passed, his head was still spinning. Emma, her brown eyes wide and her pink lips curled into a frown, was hovering over him, her fingers gently caressing his cheek.

 

Kit vaguely recalled her whispering his name, but even if he wanted to, he wasn’t sure he could voice a response. His head ached and his mouth was dry. Why had Emma struck him so hard? 

 

“You know, I thought you’d be a lot better,” Emma was saying as she helped him up into a seated position. “I don’t know if you were just distracted or you are  _ really  _ lacking the right training.”

 

The Herondale opened his mouth to bark a retort but silenced himself instantly once Julian’s voice filtered through the room.

 

“Emma, Tav will be arriving in a few minutes, we need to-“ his voice cut off suddenly and Kit assumed Julian had just noticed him. “By the angel, what the hell happened here?”.

 

“Emma attacked me,” Kit groaned as his hand shot up to clutch his head. “Did you say that  _ Tavvy  _ will be arriving soon?”.

 

Julian dipped his head in a small nod. “I did. Magnus and Alec sent me a fire message.”

 

“Oh, that’s amazing!” Emma cheered. 

 

Kit raised an eyebrow. “Are we just going to ignore the fact that Emma attacked me?”.

 

Julian and Emma exchanged a knowing glance before a pair of identical grins stretched their lips. Kit knew there was no way he was getting any sympathy from the pair of them. 

 

“Whatever,” he grumbled. “I need to go to bed.”

 

Emma flung an arm around him once he was up on his feet. “Aw, poor Kitty cat. I’ll help you to your room.”

 

Kit shot her a look but said nothing as the female led him out of the training room and down the corridor. As they rounded a corner and approached his bedroom, he heard the faint sound of light, quick footsteps on the opposite end of the hall. Raising his head slowly, Kit felt himself physically  _ freeze  _ in place as his blue orbs fell upon Ty.  _ Beautiful _ , he thought again. And within seconds, he shook the thought away. 

 

“Can you walk the rest of the way?” Emma asked him softly, her voice barely a whisper.

 

The Herondale nodded his head slowly, his eyes never leaving Ty. He’d thought the world had stopped spinning. But it had started again as he watched Ty slow to a halt, his own grey eyes in Kit’s direction. They stared at each other for several long moments before the Blackthorn submitted and lowered his gaze. Once Emma’s footsteps had disappeared, Kit cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak. But to his own surprise, Ty beat him to it. 

 

“Are you okay?” he asked him quietly. “You don’t look too good.”

 

Kit swallowed hard. “I’m fine,” he replied. “I just — I just had training with Emma and took a hard blow to the head.” Why was Ty talking to him? What happened to;  _ You are not my friend?  _

 

“Do you want me to draw an iratze?” Ty offered. 

 

Again, Kit swallowed hard and simply stared at the other boy in surprise. Yesterday Ty had declared that they would not be friends. And yet, here he was, offering to draw an iratze as if there was nothing awkward between them. But then again, Kit realised, Ty was kind, not cruel. An offering such as this meant nothing. Kit was just surprised that the other boy was even  _ speaking  _ to him. 

 

“Kit?” the Blackthorn asked, cocking his head to the side. “Would you like me to draw an iratze?”.

 

Kit nodded. Not because he particularly  _ needed  _ an iratze, but because he was not yet ready to end this encounter with Ty. 

 

Within seconds, Ty pulled out his stele and was approaching Kit with a look of determination on his face.  _ It was cute,  _ the Herondale thought to himself,  _ and awfully attractive.  _ Ty was stunning. Everyone had known he would be so from a young age. Now that he was near adulthood, his beauty was practically unstoppable. Kit wondered if the other boy had gained any attention yet. Surely, considering his physique. Hell, Kit had been asked out multiple times. It wasn’t too hard to notice that Ty was  _ far more  _ attractive than him. 

 

“Hold out your arm,” Ty instructed gently, his grey orbs resting on the arm that Kit had not yet outstretched. “I’m going to get rid of your headache.” 

 

Kit obeyed, his eyes never leaving the seventeen year old’s face. Even as the faint burning sensation of the iratze soared through his body, he did not,  _ could  _ not, look away. It was as though he were under a spell. The fingers that Ty wrapped around his wrist did not help. His mere touch sent a jolt of electricity through his body.  _ What the hell was wrong with him? _

 

Once the iratze was drawn and its effects began to kick in, Kit slowly retracted his arm and let it fall to his side. Ty did the same,  his stele quickly returning to his pocket. The two of them remained standing where they were — close enough to embrace, close enough to smash their lips together, close enough to-

 

Kit silenced those thoughts instantly and took a slow step backwards. Whether Ty knew something was wrong or not, he did not let it show. He simply offered Kit a shy smile, lowered his gaze, and walked past him to enter the main corridor. 

 

The Herondale watched him go with an almost desperate, inherent desire to follow after him. But he was not Ty’s  _ shadow _ , anymore. They’d been apart for over three, long, years. Surely he could manage to be apart from him now, even if he  _ did  _ want to return to that shadow more than anything. 

 

—

 

“Tavvy!” Dru squealed as her baby brother stepped through the golden portal Magnus created for him and entered the Library of the LA Institute. “You’re back!”. 

 

The youngest Blackthorn hadn’t been away from his family for long. He spent a week and a half in Magnus Bane’s apartment in Brooklyn, New York, in order to spend time with his best friend Rafe and his brother Max. Yet for Dru, who had been worried about him since, it felt like eternity.

 

“I told you,” Tav started as he wrapped his arms around his big sister and struggled to breathe in her tight embrace. “It’s Octavian.”

 

Dru rolled her eyes playfully and held onto him despite his complaints, her blue-green eyes shut with the joy of holding her little brother in her arms once again.

 

“Hey Dru!”  Emma called out. “It’s our turn now! Will you hurry up?”.

 

Laughing, the sixteen year old released her grip on her brother and watched with a smile as Emma and Cristina smothered Tavvy with hugs and kisses, annoying him further by calling him by his ‘baby’ name. 

 

“Octavian,” Mark greeted him as he pushed his way past Emma and Cristina. Manners did not seem to concern him when it came to members of his family. He pulled his younger brother into his arms and held him close to his chest. There had been a time when he’d feared he would never get the chance to hold his baby brother. Yet here he was. “I have missed you.” 

 

The twelve year old seemed pleased to be addressed by his  _ real  _ name. His blue-green orbs brightened and his lips curled into a wide smile as he hugged his brother back. 

 

Julian watched on with a fondness he only ever held towards his family and close friends. His little brother had now returned and that was  _ one  _ more step closer to their whole family being reunited for Ty and Livvy’s birthday. He was still trying to organise Helen and Aline’s arrival. But  _ that  _ was a complicated matter. 

 

Once Mark and Tavvy broke apart, Julian took a slow step forward, crouched down, and held his arms out for his youngest brother. It didn’t matter that Tav was now venturing into teenage years, he still ran towards Julian and flung his arms around him like the little boy he’d always truly be. 

 

“Tavvy,” Jules whispered and the boy did not correct him. It had long since been established that Julian was the only one allowed to call him by his ‘baby’ name. “I heard you enjoyed your time in New York.”

 

Octavian nodded, his head resting on his brother’s shoulder. Even though he’d only been gone for a little over a week, he’d missed him. A lot. “Magnus showed me every inch of Brooklyn.”

 

“Was it nice?” Dru asked curiously.

 

Tavvy shook his head. “Not as nice as California.”

 

A quiet chuckle escaped Julian’s throat. “Well, at least we’ll get to keep you in Los Angeles a little longer then.”

 

The twelve year old nodded in agreement before slowly pulling away. His blue-green orbs rested on each member of his family until he realised someone was missing — someone who he was looking forward to seeing after being apart for so long. “Where’s Ty?” he asked. “I thought he’d arrived before me.”

 

“He did,” Emma replied as she took a step toward to ruffle the boy’s hair. “I saw him in the corridor with Kit. He’s probably on his way.”

 

Tavvy’s eyes widened. “Kit’s here too?”.

 

Emma grinned. “Oh, he sure is.”


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back again with yet another chapter that won't be very long and is quite literally just acting as a filler. In this chapter, Kit will be reflecting on old memories in order to figure out what to buy for Ty's birthday. 
> 
> Ps. Thank you so much for all the support! I can't believe this fic already has 99 kudos when the good stuff hasn't even happened yet! It means a lot and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_ Ty was near Kit, as he almost always was, like a magnet clicking into place. _

 

* * *

 

Octavian Blackthorn had grown. Kit almost didn’t recognise him as the little boy he used to know. It wasn’t that his young, boyish features had changed dramatically. He still looked like Tavvy, just a little older and significantly taller. Kit had always thought of the youngest Blackthorn as a small, carefree child clutching onto Dru when everyone else was gone, desperately waiting for Jules to return. However, Tav was no longer clutching onto anyone. He was on his own two feet and smiling widely as Kit entered the kitchen, his hair still wet from the shower he had.

 

“Hey, Kit,” he greeted. “You look awesome.”

 

Raising an eyebrow, Kit looked down at himself. He was dressed in a simple pair of black combat pants and an emerald green t-shirt that was a little too big. There was nothing quite ‘awesome’ about it. Regardless, he thanked the boy with a smile and greeted him with a warm hug. It wasn’t until he was up close that he recognised the striking resemblance between Tavvy and his older brother Julian.

 

All the Blackthorns, except Ty, Mark, and Helen, shared the same blue-green orbs that had been in the bloodline for centuries. Yet Tavvy’s seemed to be almost identical to Julian’s in a way that made Kit wonder whether he was staring at the image of Julian at age twelve, taking on the role as parent. They shared the same dark brown mop of hair, sun-kissed skin that still managed to look pale, and a jawline to slice through bread. In Kit’s opinion, Tav looked as though he may even be more attractive than his brother when he reached adulthood. No Blackthorn, however, would  _ ever  _ be as beautiful as Tiberius. 

 

Speaking of Ty…

 

He was sitting next to Dru in the living room, watching one of the mundane horror movies that the sixteen year old had been  _ trying  _ to coax Kit into watching. But horror wasn’t his thing. Yet he hadn’t imagined it would be Ty’s thing either. 

 

“He’s doing better today,” Julian said as he followed his gaze. “I assume your talk went well.”

 

It hadn’t. At least not for Kit. “I gained his forgiveness,” he mumbled. “I suppose that’s something. But…”.

 

“But…?” Julian urged.

 

Kit frowned. “He doesn’t want to be friends.”

 

Julian fell silent, as if in deep thought. Kit assumed he was trying to think up a reasonable excuse as to why Ty may not want to pursue friendship. But the extended silence was answer enough; Julian could not think up a reasonable excuse that would spare Kit’s feelings. 

 

“But I’m glad he’s doing better today,” Kit added quietly. “I didn’t want to...ruin anything.”

 

“Kit,” Julian sighed. “You haven’t ruined anything. And even if Ty  _ wasn’t _ , doing better. It wouldn’t be your fault. Not unless you, well, hurt him again. Which I know you won’t.”

 

Kit bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. But before Julian could say another word, Emma jumped up onto his back and wrapped her arms around him. In seconds, the dark-haired male was carrying his girlfriend around the kitchen while she cheered. Mark and Cristina were both watching with amused expressions as they stood together by the wall while Octavian sauntered off to join his siblings in the living room. Kit, for the first time since his arrival, suddenly felt incredibly out of place. Which was odd, since, he’d never quite felt this way around the Blackthorns before. And he knew why. Years ago, when he’d practically been a member of the family, he’d always had Ty. 

 

_ “Ty was near Kit, as he almost always was, like a magnet clicking into place.” _

 

The eighteen year old missed those days. But he had no one else to blame for that loss except himself. 

 

_ I miss you, _ he thought silently as he glanced over at Ty,  _ I miss you so much. _

 

—

 

It was the eve of Ty’s birthday and Kit found himself strolling through a mundane shopping centre with Dru on one side, Octavian on the other. Dru had already bought Ty a present, but she tagged along nevertheless to help the two males accompanying her decide on a gift. Tav was thinking of buying a new, updated animal encyclopedia while Kit genuinely had no  _ idea _ what he was going to buy. Would Kit even  _ want _ anything from him? It didn’t matter. Kit was going to buy him something regardless. 

 

“How about a book?” Dru suggested. “Ty loves reading.” 

 

The Herondale shook his head. “Technically the encyclopedia is a book,” he sighed. “And I’m pretty sure I overheard Cristina and Mark talking about the books they got him from Mexico. I don’t want him to just have books.”

 

Dru nodded her head in agreement. “You’re right. What about puzzles? He likes solving things.”

 

“I thought  _ you _ were giving him a puzzle,” Kit inquired with an arched eyebrow. “The Sherlock Holmes one?”.

 

“I am,” Dru replied. “But I’m sure he won’t mind having two.”

 

Kit shook his head. “I don’t want to give him something he already has.” 

 

With a shrug, Dru led the two males inside a bookstore where Tav would purchase the encyclopedia. Meanwhile, the eighteen year old rummaged through his brain in order to find  _ something  _ that he could buy for Ty. Instead of ideas, a memory from over three and a half years ago played inside his head. A memory he had not expected to resurface after so many years. 

 

A memory of Ty.

 

_ The sun drowned in the horizon, the sky painted an array of pink, orange and yellow, the clouds promising a calm, peaceful night. It was the pale glow of the moon that shone over the water, falling over a boy with dark hair and dark eyes. _

 

_ Ty stood by the water, his black trousers rolled up to his knees and his worn headphones wrapped comfortably around his neck. Kit watched him from the sand, his blue orbs following Ty’s every movement, not leaving him for one second. _

 

_ They’d been alone together on the beach for hours now — enjoying both each other’s company and the scenery around them. Ty often preferred to be on his own, as he was now, standing in the water, but Kit couldn’t help but notice that the other boy was, indeed, starting to feel more and more comfortable around him. It was a relief, really. Especially since Ty was practically the only one Kit felt entirely comfortable around.  _

 

_ During their time on the beach, they’d wandered up and down the sand, talking about nothing important as Ty searched in between rocks for washed up shells to give to Livvy who’d opted not to join them. Kit loved Livvy, but he did enjoy his time alone with Ty.  _

 

_ Now, Ty was in the water. Kit wasn’t entirely sure what the Blackthorn was doing; but he seemed to be enjoying himself. That was enough for Kit. To see Ty happy; it was all he could ever ask for.  _

 

_ Unfortunately, a loud group of mundanes disrupted the peace and had started to create loud, unrelenting noise a few feet away from them. They were creating a bonfire for the night, with loud music blasting through large speakers and the sound of cheering echoing through the crashing waves. Although neither Ty or Kit were glamoured, they felt invisible. The mundanes did not seem to care at all that the beach was not theirs. It was a public space. Yet they acted as if it were their own. _

 

_ It didn’t take long for Ty to become distressed. His hands started fluttering at his sides and he shifted from one leg to the other anxiously as the music and cheering  grew louder and louder. In seconds, Kit was on his feet and quickly approaching him. By the time he was standing at his side, Ty had already slipped his headphones over his ears, blocking out the world.  _

 

_ Placing a warm, gentle hand on his shoulder, Kit whispered “come” before leading Ty far, far away from the noise. It wasn’t until they reached a large oak tree on the opposite side of the Institute that they could no longer hear the awful music blasting through the speakers. Ty was still nervous though. He hadn’t taken off his headphones.  _

 

_ It was dark now. A nearby streetlamp accompanied by the pale glow of the moon was their only source of light. Kit didn’t mind though. He liked being with Ty, day or night.  _

 

_ He watched in silence as the other boy reached into his pocket and began to twirl a small throwing knife in his hands. It was engraved with his father’s name on it; Andrew Blackthorn. Holding the blade seemed to calm him down; at least enough to remove his headphones and return to the world. _

 

_ “That’s a fine blade you got there,” Kit had commented as he studied the silver inscriptions, the pure black hilt and golden band. “Did your father give it to you?”. _

 

_ Ty shook his head. “It was one of the weapons on his body when…” his voice had trailed off for a moment. “...when Jules stopped him from hurting us.” _

 

_ Kit nodded slowly but said nothing else. _

 

_ “I chose this one because I liked it the most,” Ty went on to admit. “I’ve always wanted a blade with my name on it. That way, it really belongs to me. It’s mine. And no one, no one, can take it away from me.” _

 

And Kit, snapping out of the memory, suddenly knew what to get Ty for his birthday.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, it's Ty and Liv's Birthday! Again, it's only a filler but I can promise you that the next chapter is extremely important in regards to the development of Kit and Ty's relationship. I can't wait for you all to read it. But first, you must get through this chapter which was oddly enough, fun for me to write. I hope you enjoy!

_ Happy Birthday.  _

 

 

* * *

 

 

The day had finally come. Tiberius Nero Blackthorn was eighteen years of age; an adult capable of  _ many  _ things, except legally consuming alcohol, according to mundane law. But for Shadowhunters, no one seemed to  _ mind _ whether the consumption of alcohol was at eighteen years of age or twenty-one. In fact, it was somewhat celebrated on one’s eighteenth birthday as a sign of adulthood. For Ty, however, he couldn’t have cared less.

 

Alcohol was a problem. For many reasons. One; it had the potential to induce addiction. Two; it clouded one’s judgement. And three; it brought out the worst of good people. Ty wasn’t interested in such a thing. It was most definitely  _ not  _ on his mind.

 

Livvy, (or the ghost of Livvy), however, thought it would be a  _ great _ idea to have a try. She couldn’t, of course. Death prevented such a thing. So, naturally, she pestered Ty about it. 

 

“If  _ I  _ were turning eighteen,” she drawled from the doorway as she watched him sit up in bed and rub his eyes. “ _ I  _ would be having  _ a lot  _ to drink. The least you could do is  _ try  _ some.”

 

Ty was adamant on staying far, far away from alcohol. “No,” he told his sister calmly. “I will not.”

 

The ghost of Livia Blackthorn frowned. She was clearly disappointed, but knew enough about her twin to know that she had lost this battle. For now. She drifted over towards his bed, lowered herself onto the end of it, and propped her chin into her hands. No alcohol for her and no alcohol for Ty. Happy Birthday indeed. 

 

“Do you think I can get away with just staying in my room all day?” Ty asked his sister, his expression entirely serious. 

 

“Well, if I recall last years attempt, it did not go to plan,” Livvy mused with a gentle smile. “Besides, it’ll be nice to spend time with everyone. Even Kit.”

 

Ty’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of the Herondale. Livvy only sighed. She remembered how broken Kit had been when she’d found him crying alone in his room — crying over a boy who had forgiven him, yet would not take him back. Ty had been broken in a different sort of way. Livvy, who knew her twin better than anyone, couldn’t even explain it. Her brother did not cry, but there was something sad and dark that crossed his features every now and again. She’d noticed it happen more often now that Kit was around again. 

 

“You should get changed,” she told her brother as she silenced her own thoughts. “I have no doubt that Dru will barge in at any mo-“.

 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TY-TY!”.

 

It was, in fact, Dru, who shouted “Happy Birthday” and burst through his bedroom door, a rectangular shaped gift in her hands. She was already dressed for the day in her usual pair of black ripped jeans with a ‘fashionable’ — as Dru liked to call them — pair of fishnets beneath. Instead of one of her usual black horror movie or band shirts, she was wearing a nice, navy blue off the older top with a silver necklace around her neck. Her thick brown hair was tied up into a neat ponytail behind her head which fell nicely over her shoulders. She looked lovely, Ty thought, but his surprise got the better of him and he shot to his feet, eyes wide. 

 

Unlike his sister, the eighteen year old was  _ not  _ yet dressed for the day. He was still in his red and white striped pyjama bottoms with a plain long grey t-shirt that did little to compliment his muscles. Livvy laughed. Of course, she could not be seen or heard by Dru. But Ty glared at her nevertheless. She only kept laughing. 

 

“You’re not dressed!” Dru exclaimed, shaking her head with a quiet tut-tut. “What have you been  _ doing _ all morning?”.

 

Ty blinked in confusion. “I — I just woke up.”

 

It was Dru’s turn to blink in confusion. “You just woke up?” she echoed. “But it’s nine-thirty! Who sleeps until  _ nine-thirty _ on their birthday?!”.

 

Before Ty could explain that nine-thirty in the morning was a relatively reasonable time to wake up, Dru shoved the rectangular gift she’d been holding in to his hands before guiding him to the bed. 

 

“Open it!” she urged. “It’s from me. If you don’t like it, just  _ fake  _ it, okay?”.

 

“Okay,” Ty whispered before tearing at the golden wrapping paper covering the gift. 

 

Dru watched on eagerly. She’d bought the Sherlock Holmes puzzle knowing full well that it would cause immense frustration to solve, but would also keep her brother occupied for quite some time. She was nervous though. Ty liked solving things, yes, but fan-based puzzles weren’t  _ usually  _ his thing. Yet, when his grey orbs fell upon the cover, they seemed to light up with interest. Dru smiled widely. 

 

“Do you like it?” she asked. 

 

Ty’s attention was solely on the rectangular box.  _ Reading the instructions,  _ Dru assumed. After several long moments, he slowly raised his head and opened his mouth to speak.

 

“Thank you, Drusilla,” he said without quite meeting her eye. But Dru knew, even without looking into his eyes, that he was, in the Ty way, fixing his gaze on her. “I shall enjoy this very much.”

 

Dru’s smile widened. “You’re welcome!”. She reached for the torn wrapping paper, scrunched it up, and quickly climbed to her feet. “Now go get dressed! We’ll all be waiting downstairs for you!”.

 

Before Ty could get a word out, Dru slipped out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her. 

 

Livvy, who’d been watching the whole thing from the shadows, grinned at her twin. “You better do as she says.”

 

—

 

It was  _ Ty’s  _ birthday, Kit knew. Yet with all the sweet, sugary food Emma was shoving down her throat, it was almost as if it were  _ hers.  _ Julian didn’t reprimand her, though. He simply dished out more pancakes, cupcakes, chocolate cakes, banana cakes and cheesecakes while they all waited for Ty to come downstairs. 

 

Kit was seated at the dining table with Tavvy on his left, and a spare seat for Dru on his right. Ty’s gift, wrapped in blue and white striped wrapping paper, sat comfortably on his lap. Tavvy’s, a slightly larger gift wrapped in the same paper, was on the table with a label reading Ty’s name on it. The two males would often check on their gifts while they waited. It had been a long wait. 

 

Dru had woken them all up at 7am, demanding that they all get to to work on making Ty’s eighteenth birthday the best birthday he’s ever had. Kit was all in. Just not at 7am. 

 

When Kit had  _ finally _ made his way downstairs dressed in his favourite pair of caramel coloured chinos and a light blue buttoned down shirt, Julian and Emma were already in the kitchen making both breakfast  _ and  _ dessert. Dru was bossing Mark and Cristina around while Tav dumped himself into a chair. Kit had verbally groaned.

 

It was now 9:50am and Ty  _ still _ hadn’t come downstairs. Dru had gone up to retrieve him but returned empty handed. She muttered something about Ty not having dressed yet before she entered the kitchen to scold Emma for eating all the food. 

 

Kit watched the staircase in silence, waiting for Ty to emerge. It wasn’t until ten minutes later that footsteps could be heard. Beside him, Tav straightened and from across the table, Mark and Cristina fell silent. Julian, Emma and Dru could still be heard from the kitchen, discussing something to do with portions of food, but Kit blocked out their voices. His complete, undivided attention was on the staircase in which Ty slowly began to appear. 

 

He was dressed in a pair of black, camo pants with a weapons belt, void of any blades, wrapped comfortably around his waist as if for design. A dark green — the colour of the deepest forest — buttoned down shirt decorated his upper body, the short-sleeves clinging to his muscled biceps. Livvy’s locket hung around his neck while his headphones took up their usual spot above it. His hair, neatly combed to the side, looked as dark as black ink in the dim light of the staircase. And his eyes, those beautiful grey orbs that Kit could study forever, were bright. Kit wasn’t sure if it was because it was his birthday, or whether he was just pleased to be holding a Sherlock Holmes puzzle in his hands. It almost seemed as if he were eager to show it to everyone. Kit smiled at the thought. 

 

“Happy Birthday Ty!”.

 

It was Tavvy who said it first, followed by a wave of ‘Happy Birthdays’ from Mark, Cristina, Julian, Emma and Dru. Kit was the last to say it, his voice soft and his gaze downcast. He didn’t want to make Ty’s Birthday awkward, but he also didn’t want to be present if it made Ty uncomfortable. Whether it did or not, Ty didn’t let on. He simply took a seat at the table, beside Mark, and began to show off the present Dru had given him. Julian, with oven mitts still on, stood behind his younger brother’s chair and listened on with interest. It was nice to see Ty so enthusiastic about something. Kit knew everyone else was thinking it. Especially Dru who watched on from the doorway of the kitchen, a warm smile playing at her lips. 

 

Several minutes later, once the breakfast (consisting mostly of extremely unhealthy cakes) was served and every member of the family were seated at the table, Octavian grew impatient and eagerly handed his brother a present. 

 

Ty took it gratefully, his curious grey orbs studying the shape of the gift before his long, slender fingers began tearing at the wrapping. Kit watched on almost nervously. He wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t even  _ his  _ present that Ty was unwrapping.  _ That,  _ Kit thought,  _ was going to be the truly nerve racking part.  _

 

“What is it, Ty?” the Herondale heard Julian ask once the wrapping paper was removed. 

 

“It looks like a book,” Emma murmured, leaning forward in her seat to take a look. Her plate was already filled with two pancakes, two cupcakes and a large slice of cheesecake. Kit honestly wasn’t sure how Emma maintained such a figure when she pigged out  _ a lot. _

 

“It’s an encyclopedia,” Ty answered as he studied the first few pages of the book, his grey orbs bright with awe. Kit glanced sideways at Tav as the younger boy watched his brother. He looked pleased. Nervous, but pleased. “It’s an updated animal version. It will include the millions of new species discovered last year.”

 

“Do you like it?” Dru asked him once she noticed Tavvy’s expression. 

 

“Yes,” Ty replied as he gently shut the book and glanced over at the youngest Blackthorn. “Thank you, Octavian.”

 

Tav smiled widely. “You’re welcome!”.

 

—

 

Over the course of the next couple of minutes, several presents were gifted to Ty for his birthday. Mark and Cristina gifted him with a collection of crime fiction novels from Mexico, Emma gave him a new, navy blue pair of headphones with his initials,  _ T.B _ , inscribed on the outside of each speaker, and Julian gifted his younger brother with one of the most precious gifts of all. An artwork, hand-painted by himself, of his twin sister, Livia Blackthorn. 

 

It was beautiful. Just as his sister had been and even in death, still was. A beautiful, glowing young girl with the brightest of smiles. His twin. His second half. He could feel her standing beside him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

 

“Julian really is quite talented, isn’t he?” Livvy whispered as she studied herself in the painting. She was standing on her side, her arm outstretched in front of her with the ocean at her back. Dressed in Shadowhunter gear, but weaponless, her hair blown back as if in the wind. The painting showed her as she was. A carefree child with fierce, Blackthorn blood in her veins. Julian captured every line of her face, her body, her demeanor — the way she’d always hold out her hand. To Ty.

 

She glanced down at her twin who had tears in his beautiful grey orbs. Not the tears of sadness he would often shed when the world seemed too big, too scary without her in it. But rather, a fond sense of happy tears that managed to roll down his cheeks at the immense worth of such a gift. Julian had painted it for him. For them.

 

“Happy Birthday, Livvy,” Ty whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear. Yet they both knew no one, except Kit, knew for certain that she’d heard him.

 

“Happy Birthday, Ty,” she whispered back. 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome back to the fanfic that is actually starting to head somewhere now but still requires your patience. In this Chapter, Kit and Ty share a moment together on the rooftop where they begin to build trust (and friendship?) once again. It's only a short Chapter but I think it's a nice one which is integral for the following events to come. The next Chapter was so much fun to write so hopefully I'll be posting that one shortly! Anyway, enough from me, enjoy!

“ _ Tell me,” Kit said. “Tell me what you need.” _

 

* * *

 

Not long after Ty received the painting Julian had gifted him of their sister, he’d politely excused himself and retreated upstairs to no doubt, be alone. Kit hadn’t even had the chance to give him the present he’d bought him. The delay was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing; in that it offered him more time to calm his nerves and prepare a response for Ty if it was called for. Yet a curse in that it meant Kit was given  _ more  _ time to dwell in his anxiety. But it wasn’t about  _ him,  _ afterall. It was about Ty. And right now, Ty wanted to be alone.

 

“Are you going to have some cake, Herondale?” Emma asked him in between bites of food. 

 

Kit glanced over at her and shook his head. He wasn’t all that hungry. Maybe it was because he was nervous. Or maybe because he was worried about Ty. As if reading his thoughts, Emma sighed.

 

“I’m sure Ty is okay,” she said softly. “He’s probably just hanging up the artwork. But, if you  _ are  _ worried about him, go on and check on him. Give him the present you got him. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

 

The Herondale hesitated. He  _ could _ go check on Ty and give him his present as Emma suggested. But, doing so came with great risk. Ty could reject him. He could make him uncomfortable and push him further away. And what if he was having a private moment with Livvy? He didn’t want to intrude. Yet the need to see him, to make sure he was okay — it was almost an unbearable weight inside his chest. 

 

_ You are not my friend.  _

 

Maybe so. But Kit would not let him suffer in silence, all alone. He cared about Ty. He hadn’t stopped for one second, even after all these years. He’d fight to make him smile again. He’d fight to make sure he never felt alone. He’d fight to be a good  _ friend  _ — the one he should have been all those years ago even  _ if _ Ty did not care about him the same way. None of that mattered anymore. He just wanted Ty to be, well, Ty. 

 

Without uttering a word, Kit slowly climbed to his feet and approached the staircase with Ty’s gift still in his hands. He was nervous and afraid. Yet the desire to protect Ty was stronger than any fear he hid deep within his soul. If he was lucky, Ty would be fine. If he wasn’t, then he’d do everything he can to help him. 

 

Taking a long, deep, breath, the golden-haired male slowly raised his hand to knock on the door three times. One. Two. Three. There was no response. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he tried again. One. Two. Three. No response. He was about to call out Ty’s name when he felt a cool, familiar breeze kiss his skin, snatching his attention away from the door. It was Livvy. 

 

Her ghost was standing beside him, a look of concern on her beautiful, young features. “He isn’t in there,” she told him quietly. “He’s up there.” She pointed to the ceiling, her eyes wide. 

 

Kit knew what she meant. Ty was on the rooftop. The rooftop of the  _ Institute _ . Which was up high. Very high. The Herondale had been up there with Ty before and had almost choked up at how close the other boy was to the edge. He'd prayed Ty would never be that close again.

 

“Is he ok?” he managed to breathe out, his voice wavering slightly. 

 

Livvy almost seemed as if she would answer him and tell him that her brother was okay. Instead, she disappeared. 

 

Cursing quietly, Kit abandoned Ty’s bedroom and bolted down the long corridor towards the fire escape. Fear — raw, cold, fear swept through his veins at what he may find on the rooftop. Livvy had seemed concerned. If she was concerned, that could mean-

 

_ Focus,  _ Kit ordered himself,  _ focus on reaching the rooftop.  _

 

Once he located the fire escape, Kit climbed up to the rooftop as if his life depended on it. 

 

Or _ Ty’s _ . 

 

He was panting by the time he reached the surface, his pale skin the first to be struck by the Californian sun piercing with heat.  His blue orbs, wide with fear, scanned the rooftop thoroughly until they fell upon a familiar male figure.

 

_ Ty. _

 

He was seated at the edge of the rooftop, his legs dangling carelessly off of the side of the building while his hands planted themselves flatly against the concrete. His new headphones, the one gifted to him by Emma, sat comfortably over his ears as he stared out at the beach in the distance. Kit followed his gaze. The beach looked calm, peaceful. There were no rough waves crashing against the rocks and the few mundanes in the surf seemed to be quite safe amidst the calm waters. It was a nice day. A beautiful one. Yet Kit’s attention didn’t stay on the water or the waves for long. His gaze was quick to rest upon Ty who had yet to notice his presence. 

 

Approaching him slowly, Kit was careful not to be too quiet or too loud in the case of spooking the other boy into potentially falling off of the building. He cleared his throat and made sure his boots could be heard scraping against the concrete. Ty heard him, he knew. Not because he turned around or spoke, but because his shoulders tensed and his once flattened hands quickly began to curl into fists. 

 

“Ty,” he spoke up nervously. “It’s me, Kit. Are you — are you ok? I went to you room but, well, you’re up here. Did you — did you just want some fresh air?”.

 

The Blackthorn nodded but didn’t say a word.

 

_ At least he’s not ignoring me,  _ Kit thought as he took a few small steps towards him. He wasn’t sure  _ why  _ he feared Ty would spend the rest of his days ignoring him. It was only the other day when Ty had drawn him an iratze. Yet that wasn’t friendship. It was something else — something Kit couldn’t quite put his finger on. 

 

“You can talk to me, you know,” Kit went on, voice soft. “I know I haven’t always been here, but I am here now.”

 

His words were only met with silence. He doubted Ty would want to speak with  _ him _ , of all people. And yet, even with that knowledge, Kit was not willing to give up. 

 

“Tell me,” he whispered. “Tell me what you need.”

 

It was then that something clicked into place between the two males. Almost like recognition. Or recollection. It was memories, Kit realised. Memories of what they had once been — of what they could be again if Ty, in this moment, let him in. 

 

_ “Tell me what you need,” _ he’d once said to Ty. And if the Blackthorn allowed it, Kit would ask him again and again until he had  _ everything  _ he would  _ ever  _ need. 

 

_ Tell me what you need. _

 

_ Tell me what you need. _

 

_ Tell me what you need.  _

 

“Sit with me,” Ty whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of the city below. “You can sit with me.”

 

Kit had never moved so fast in his life. In seconds, he was sitting beside the other male, his own legs dangling off of the edge. He didn’t know what Ty intended to talk about — if he even wanted to talk at all — but Kit was more than willing to be there. No matter what. 

 

“Do you like birthdays?” the Blackthorn asked after several long moments of silence. 

 

It was an odd sort of question, Kit thought. But he didn’t say as much. Instead, he simply responded with a small nod and an audible “yes”. Thankfully, Ty seemed satisfied with the answer. 

 

“Do you?” Kit added once he realised the other boy wasn’t going to respond. 

 

“Not anymore,” Ty admitted. “It’s not the same without…” his voice trailed off and he released a shaky, unsteady breath. “...I just don’t see the point of it anymore. It was always  _ our  _ birthday. Not  _ mine.” _

 

Kit understood what he meant. Since Livvy’s death, Ty had been celebrating their day of birth alone. While the boy aged each and every year, Livvy remained the same age she had been when death consumed her and her spirit left her body. It was a horrible thing, really. For a twin to share a birthday alone. Even with Livvy’s ghost visiting when she could, he knew Ty would still feel lonely. It was inevitable. 

 

“I know,” the Herondale whispered as gently as he could manage without his voice cracking. “But you know Livvy would want you to celebrate, right? She’d want you to have fun and enjoy your presents. Speaking of which…” he glanced down at the wrapped up box in his hands and slowly raised it in Ty’s direction. “...I’ve been meaning to give this to you.”

 

For a moment, the present seemed to distract the boy from his dark thoughts. He’d taken it into his own hands, torn at the paper, and stared at the small, thin, rectangular shaped box with the word ‘Ignitis’ inscribed in the centre. 

 

“Open it,” Kit prompted with an encouraging smile.

 

And so Ty did. He lifted the lid off of the box slowly and placed it on the concrete roof beside him. His grey orbs, calm and curious, landed on the twin daggers resting only inches apart from each other inside the box. 

 

Twin daggers. The symbolism alone was enough to break Ty into pieces. But he kept it together long enough to reach into the box, wrap his fingers around the golden hilt of one of the blades, and slowly raise it for further examination. The Blades were practically identical. Golden hilt decorated with Nephilim runes and dark blue jewels as well as a sharp silver edge. The Inscriptions, however, were different. 

 

_ Tiberius Nero Blackthorn.  _

 

His name had been carved into the dagger in his hand. On the other, was his twin’s name. 

 

“It’s a present for both you  _ and  _ Livvy,” Kit whispered quietly. “I haven’t forgotten her. You each have one of your own.”

 

Ty lowered the dagger slowly and for the first time since Kit had reached the rooftop, he looked at him. Not directly at him and  _ never _ meeting his gaze, but enough to take Kit’s breath away. 

 

“Thank you, Christopher,” he breathed out, his grey orbs shining with unshed tears. “I like this very much.” 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back fellow Kit/Ty shippers! Chapter ten is uploaded and ready to be devoured. In all honesty, this was one of my favourite chapters to write and I really hope you enjoy reading it! See you for chapter 11!

_ “Put your arms around me,” said Ty. “Hold on to me.” _

 

* * *

 

Ever since Kit and Ty’s encounter on the rooftop, both males had been less distant with one another. In fact, both the Blackthorn and young Herondale spent most of their time in each other’s vicinity without any unwanted awkwardness. However, they hadn’t quite mastered the art of engaging in conversation yet — but sharing a study session in the Library was close enough to it.

 

Three days had passed since the rooftop encounter and Kit was, in every sense of the word, relaxed. He and Ty, although not having quite struck up the friendship they once had, were on good terms. Every now and again, Ty would look up from his puzzle and smile shyly in Kit’s general direction. That was enough for the Herondale. It was  _ more  _ than enough. He was just relieved that Ty hadn’t  _ completely  _ shut him out. Of course, there was the fact that they weren’t exactly  _ talking _ , but rebuilding a friendship took work. One step at a time. 

 

Kit was, like every other day, seated in the Library, his feet up on the table, while he read through ‘Important’ Shadowhunter books that Tessa advised him to read. The eighteen year old couldn’t have cared less about the books. His attention, as it had been for three days straight, was on Ty who was seated at the other end of the table, all his concentration poured into the Sherlock Holmes puzzle Dru had bought him for his birthday. By the looks of things, he was close to finishing. 

 

“I am bored,” Dru stated matter-of-factly from behind him. She must have been looking for them. “Anyone wanna train with me?”.

 

In all honesty, that was the last thing Kit wanted to do. But when he saw Ty draw his attention away from the puzzle and raise his head, Kit suddenly wondered if training would actually be a good idea. It would not only be an opportunity to physically workout and gain some much needed practice, it would also be a good opportunity to remove his shirt and show off his flawless body. And, if he was lucky, get Ty to remove his shirt too. 

 

“I’ll go,” Ty said, his voice yanking him from all the ungodly thoughts running around inside his head. “Would you like to join us, Christopher?”.

 

Christopher. It was a name he rarely heard. Nor liked to hear. Yet the way Ty said it didn’t seem to bother him as much as it should have; especially since it was indirectly refusing to acknowledge the name  _ he  _ preferred. But he didn’t care that Ty called him Christopher instead of Kit, he was simply fixated on the fact that the other boy had even  _ offered  _ an opportunity to train with him.  _ This,  _ Kit thought,  _ was progress.  _ The gods had answered his prayers, it seemed. Ty was willing to make an effort into rebuilding their friendship and Kit was a very, very happy young man.

 

“I’d love to,” he stated cheerfully as he swiftly climbed to his feet. “Training is an excellent way to, uh, train. For fighting. Sword clashing stuff. Demon slaying. That sort of thing.”

 

Raising their eyebrows, both Ty and Dru nodded slowly. 

 

Kit cursed himself for, more often than not, sounding like the dumbest person in the room. The Herondale gene must only consist of an exquisite physique. No intelligence, it seemed. 

 

“Okay,” Dru clapped her hands together. “You two can both get changed and I’ll meet you in the training room. Don’t be more than ten minutes!”.

 

—

 

Ten minutes had passed and yet Kit and Ty were the only two inside the training room, no Drusilla insight. It had been that way for around four minutes now, an awkward silence filling the air as the two males stood in silence.

 

Kit was dressed in a relatively fashionable pair of grey track-pants and a light blue tank top that complimented his chest and ab muscles. In his hands, were two wooden staffs that he’d pulled off of the rack before Ty had arrived. 

 

The Blackthorn, with his new headphones wrapped comfortably around his neck, wore a dark blue Lonsdale t-shirt along with plain black track-pants that did well to compliment his figure. 

 

Both males, standing only metres across from one another, were staring at the door, waiting. But Dru never seemed to step through the doorway. The Herondale contemplated simply leaving before the other boy spoke up, voice calm and direct. 

 

“Shall we start without her?” Ty spoke up. 

 

Kit hesitated. A training session  _ alone  _ with Ty was something he had dreamed of for a  _ very  _ long time. Faced with the opportunity, he almost couldn’t quite believe it. He must of been silent for a while now because Ty’s eyebrows shot up and he cocked his head to the side, as if confused to be waiting. 

 

Within seconds of realising, the Herondale nodded. A little too eagerly, perhaps. Whether Ty picked up on it, Kit would never know. He simply outstretched his hand, gestured to the staff, and watched calmly as the golden-haired handed him the training weapon.

 

One on one training — Kit wasn’t sure what to expect. He’d trained alongside Ty years ago when he’d barely been more than a mundane with some ancient tattoos. But they’d  _ both  _ been younger and less experienced then. Now, they were both, in every sense of the word,  full-trained warriors. Ty was a killing machine, yet so was Kit. The training would be  _ interesting. _

 

Ty, with both hands gripped firmly around the staff, was the first to strike. Kit hadn’t expected the sudden launch of attack for two reasons. One; the Blackthorn had not covered his ears with his headphones — which was almost a signature move of Ty’s — and two; Kit hadn’t even been given the chance to adjust his footing. Nevertheless, the Herondale raised his staff to block the blow and kicked his leg out to throw off his opponent. Unfortunately, the Blackthorn saw it coming and maneuvered to the side, swinging the staff back to slam against the back of Kit’s legs. Biting back a cry of pain, the golden-haired staggered forward and  _ almost  _ fell forward onto his knees. 

 

“You have fast reflexes,” Ty observed, his voice light and curious. “But you can’t retain it for too long.”

 

Kit narrowed his eyes, his knuckles clenched tightly around the staff as he whirled around to face his opponent. “I didn’t realise I was being judged,” he bit back.

 

Ty simply shrugged and braced himself in a defensive stance. “Your turn.”

 

_ My turn, indeed,  _ Kit thought silently before lunging at the Blackthorn with the intention to strike him in the ribs. As expected, however, Ty blocked his blow. Kit swung at him over and over again, searching for the other boy’s weak spots or gaps in his defence. But Ty was fast — really fast. He blocked each and every one of his blows until the golden-haired slipped up and earned himself a stab in the gut. Of course, the staff could not pierce his skin or cause him to bleed — but it hurt nevertheless. 

 

Clutching his stomach, the Herondale fell to the ground and released hold of his staff. In seconds, Ty crouched down beside him, a look of concern on his face. 

 

“Are you ok?” he asked wearily. “I didn’t mean to strike you so hard — I thought  _ you  _ were the one attacking.” 

 

Kit bit his tongue hard to silence his retort and simply opted for a small nod. He was fine. Just a little sore. A blow to the gut was never pleasant; even for Shadowhunters.

 

“Shall we go again?” Ty suggested. 

 

The Herondale dipped his head in what he hoped was an eager nod before slowly reaching for his staff and climbing to his feet. By the time he’d adjusted his footing, Ty was already swinging at him with a look of pure determination in his eye. 

 

—

 

An hour had passed since the two males had first taken up their staffs and launched into their attacks. Both of them were now drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, their stamina runes activated to keep themselves upright and moving. 

 

Kit had long ago discarded his shirt, which lay somewhere alongside Ty’s headphones which he’d removed once the sweat had built up around his neck. To the Herondale’s dismay, however, the Blackthorn had not removed  _ his  _ shirt. And it didn’t look like he was going to any time soon.  _ Of course,  _ Kit thought sourly,  _ the hot one in the room  _ **_won’t_ ** _ show off. _

 

“One more round,” Ty breathed out, his dark brown almost black hair drenched to the point where it clung to his forehead. “No holding back.”

 

The way that Ty spoke, his voice low and raspy, it turned Kit on. He could  _ feel  _ himself weakening and losing grip of his physical attributes — the one that would be  _ very _ noticeable if upright. It took every ounce of self restraint not to clasp the other boy’s shoulders, pin him against the wall, and kiss him like his life depended on it.  _ Shit,  _ Kit cursed himself mentally.  _ Shit. Shit. Shit.  _

 

“Kit?” Ty’s low and raspy voice echoed inside his head. “Another round?”.

 

_ Shit. _

 

“Another round,” Kit confirmed after several long moments of awkward silence filling the air. “To the death.” 

 

Ty arched an eyebrow at that and seemed a little taken back. 

 

“Not literally,” the Herondale added quickly. “I only meant — nevermind.” 

 

Shaking his head, the golden-haired male shifted into a defensive stance with his fingers curled tightly around his staff. Opposite him, the Blackthorn did the same, his grey orbs fixed on one of Kit’s weak spots — an area to his left in which he struggled to defend. By now, Kit knew where the other boy would strike and so it gradually became easier to defend.

 

“I’m ready when you are,” he told the male. 

 

Within seconds of those words rolling off of his tongue, Ty launched into an attack. His movements were fast and deliberate — designed to make Kit move one way when he really needed to move another in order for his defence to be effective. Ty was a clever fighter like that; but Kit was picking up on it rather quickly. If the Blackthorn didn’t change his technique soon, it would become useless against the enemy. Almost like the Spartans with their once ‘unbeatable’ phalanx formation. They used the same formation for hundreds of years and so, naturally, the enemy learned from it. They fought against it, studied it, and created a technique of their own to match it. And, as a result, the Spartans were defeated. 

 

Kit was formulating the same idea now — against Ty. Every strike earned a defence and every blow caused either Kit to step back, or Ty. It was like a song — repeating itself over and over again until finally, it ends. And Kit  _ was  _ going to end it. 

 

Just as the Blackthorn went to break his defence on his weaker side, the golden-haired Shadowhunter jumped back, rolled to the side, and launched to his feet before the other boy had a chance to turn around. When Ty  _ did _ turn around, however, Kit was greeted with a hard slam to the stomach and ribs which sent him crashing to the floor.  _ That,  _ was not what he intended. 

 

Kit, not willing to take the chance of losing yet  _ another  _ round, wrapped his fingers around the scruff of Ty’s shirt, and pulled him down to the ground with him. 

 

With his spare hand, he disarmed the other boy’s staff and tossed it to the far right, out of reach. Before the Blackthorn could process what was happening, Kit shifted his body enough to flip them both around and pin Ty to the floor, defenceless beneath him. 

 

“I win,” Kit whispered, his own voice low and raspy. His face was only inches from Ty’s, their lips even closer. He was close enough to hear the boy’s ragged breathing and rapid heartbeat — pounding against his chest. 

 

Ty’s lips were parted in either pain or surprise, his grey orbs fixed on Kit’s jaw, the closest he’d get to meeting his eye. “You win,” he breathed out, voice barely a whisper. 

 

The Herondale should have, in that moment, climbed off of his opponent and held out his hand as an invitation to help him up. Instead, he remained on top of him, one hand planted on the ground and the other still wrapped around the scruff of his shirt. His blue orbs, dark and lusting, studied every inch of the Blackthorn’s face from his eyes, to his lips, to the small freckles that broke through his pale skin. He wanted to kiss him, to cup his cheek and run his fingers through his hair. It was wrong, he knew, to want to do such things with a friend. But he couldn’t help it. Those thoughts weren’t going away. Nor were his feelings. 

 

Staring into the sea of grey, not quite meeting his eye, Kit slowly leaned forward, his lips practically hovering over Ty’s, and decided to take a leap of faith and-

 

“Oh good, you’re still here!” Dru’s voice sung out cheerfully as she entered through the training room doors. “Sorry I’m late. Jules sent me on a surprise mission and I had no time to inform you. Still wanna train?”.

 

Kit, having never moved so fast in his life, almost immediately climbed off of Ty, rose to his feet, and tugged on his shirt. He barely even registered Dru’s words before he heard Ty mumble something about being tired and needing a shower. The Herondale couldn’t  help but agree. There was no way he was going to be able to train after what just happened — after what he almost did. If Dru hadn’t interrupted, Kit would have  _ kissed _ Ty and ruined  _ everything.  _

 

_ By the angel,  _ he thought to himself as he sauntered out of the room,  _ that was close. _


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, I'd almost forgotten to update! Please accept my apologies. Chapter eleven is now here and to be honest, it's really just a filler Chapter, but I think some aspects of it are cute. Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoy and stick around for the chapters to come. Thank you for all the support!

_ Staring into the sea of grey, not quite meeting his eye, Kit slowly leaned forward, his lips practically hovering over Ty’s, and decided to take a leap of faith and- _

 

* * *

 

Kit wanted to kiss him — and almost did. It was the only explanation as to why he’d remained on top of him, his blue orbs enveloping every inch of his face, and his lips slowly lowering towards his own. Ty wasn’t stupid. He may be socially behind on a lot of things — but not kissing. He’d read enough about Sherlock and Irene’s encounters to know how it worked. And Kit had almost kissed him; Ty was sure of it.

 

Standing in the shower, with ice cold water rolling down his back, the young Blackthorn had his mind transfixed on the training session with Kit. In particular, the part where the other boy was on top of him, their faces inches apart. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole encounter. The training was, in every sense of the word, fun. Ty would rarely consider training fun, but with Kit, who kept him on his toes, it  _ was  _ fun. As for the ‘almost kissing’ aspect of the encounter, Ty had no words. He was confused, to say the least. Why would Kit, a stupidly handsome, hot-blooded American male, ever want to kiss  _ him,  _ a bookworm with autism? It didn’t make the least bit of sense. Maybe he had misread the situation. Perhaps Kit hadn’t been reaching down to kiss him — perhaps it was all a mere misunderstanding, a figure of imagination. That made more sense to Ty. 

 

Taking a deep breath, the eighteen year old turned off the tap, stepped out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around his waist. His whole body was littered with goosebumps due to the ice cold water soaked into his skin. Or, perhaps, due to the fact that Kit was still on his mind. 

 

Ever since his return, the Herondale hadn’t really  _ left  _ his mind. But this was different. Things were — different. He’d understood long ago, when Kit left, that if they ever reunited, their relationship would never be as it was. A strained friendship — that’s what Julian called it when Ty explained his fears to him. A friendship with complexities that were difficult to understand and therefore, ease. But Ty hadn’t ever worried about a strained friendship because he never imagined that Kit would return. Yet here the Herondale was — almost kissing him. 

 

Shaking his head, Ty shoved  _ all  _ thoughts of Kit aside and simply focused on the small task of drying himself. Yet, even as he removed the water from his body, the Herondale still plagued the back of his mind, threatening to consume him entirely. There was one thought, as he reached for a pair of clean trousers, that crossed the boy’s mind. A thought that caused heat to rise to his cheeks. 

 

_ What if Kit  _ **_had_ ** _ kissed me? I would have kissed him back.  _

 

Eyes widening, the Blackthorn slammed _all_ thoughts of Kit out of his mind and stalked out of the bathroom wearing only his black trousers. It was time to read — for a long, long time. He’d immerse himself into the fictional world of Sherlock Holmes and remain there until all thoughts of the other boy vanished. As he began reading, he realised that could be a _very_ _long_ time.

 

—

 

His fingers slammed against the keyboard furiously as he googled the question;  _ Am I gay?   _ There were thousands of search results, but the  **_Am I gay?_ ** quiz was the first to light up the computer screen. Kit clicked on it with an urgency that frightened him. Once he entered the website, the first thing he read sent cold shivers down his spine. 

 

_ If you are searching for an answer to this question online, the chances are, you’re  _ **_gay._ **

 

Kit bit his lip hard enough to draw blood before slowly moving the mouse towards the button that read, ‘start quiz’. Before he could answer any questions, however, the sound of quick, heavy footsteps filled the Library. In seconds, the Herondale closed the tab and whirled around in time to see Julian approaching, clad in Shadowhunting gear. 

 

“I wasn’t expecting to find you here, of all places,” Julian started, his blue-green orbs darting between the Herondale and the surrounding Library. “Everything ok?”.

 

Dipping his head in a small nod, Kit straightened up and did his best not to look like he’d just been about to conduct a quiz to find out if he was gay. It shouldn’t have been difficult. He was used to lying, afterall. Yet Julian was looking at him with curiosity, as if he sensed something was not quite right. Julian was hard to lie to, Kit realised. The Blackthorn was a liar himself, he knew all the signs. 

 

“Well, Emma, Cristina, Mark and I are going on a mission and won’t be back until later tonight,” Julian informed him. “Dru is in charge of Tavvy and, well, I want you to look after Ty. I’m sure he’ll be fine. But...keep an eye on him for me, will you? Make sure he eats.” 

 

With some hesitation, Kit nodded obediently. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to watch out for Ty and ensure his wellbeing, it was simply just that being anywhere near the boy right now gave him incessant butterflies and an intense barrage of embarrassment. He’d almost  _ kissed  _ him. Ty was clueless regarding  _ many  _ things, but something like that was hard to miss. Kit wasn’t sure if he could face him  _ ever  _ again. Yet alone tonight. 

 

“Thank you,” the older male breathed out. “I know things have been...awkward between you both since your return. But I know you’re working on it. Things will ease up soon, I promise you.”

 

Kit forced a smile but said nothing. He wasn’t so sure that things were going to simply ‘ease up’. Not now that the Herondale had almost  _ kissed _ his former best friend. Ty might never want to speak to him again. 

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Julian asked him with a small frown.

 

“I’m fine,” Kit assured him.  _ Liar.  _ “Just a little tired.”

 

Julian, despite the fact that he seemed to doubt his response, dipped his head in a small nod, bid him a good night and walked out of the Library with the same quick, heavy footsteps he’d entered with. 

 

Rather than return to the quiz, Kit slowly climbed to his feet, ran his fingers through his hair, and released a shaky breath. He’d have to face Ty again sooner or later; so it may as well be tonight. Besides, if he was lucky, the Blackthorn would pretend that nothing had ever happened and Kit would do the same. It would solve the problem — theoretically. Of course, pretence would not abolish the problem entirely. It would always be this unwanted weight on their shoulders, dragging them down. Sooner or later, both males were going to have to  _ talk  _ about what happened. And Kit would have some explaining to do.

 

—

 

Dru had been assigned dinner, which, to Kit’s relief, simply consisted of honey soy chicken and vegetables. It was something hard to mess up, even for Dru who was barely paying attention to the food. 

 

By the time Kit entered the kitchen dressed in a clean pair of black jeans and a simple maroon t-shirt, the sixteen year old had already dished up two plates of dinner and was working on the third. 

 

“Tavvy’s waiting in the dining room,” Dru told him before he could even bid her a greeting. “Can you take a plate out to him?”.

 

Nodding obediently, Kit wrapped his fingers around a plate with two honey soy drumsticks and a sea of vegetables claimed by the youngest Blackthorn. He carried the plate into the living room, set it down in front of Tavvy, and took a seat beside him, his eyes on the doorway as Dru came in with another two plates in her hands. 

 

“Where’s Ty?” Octavian asked curiously as Dru placed one plate in front of Kit and another on the table opposite him. 

 

“Upstairs,” Dru answered before returning to the Kitchen. “Can someone go get him before his food grows cold?”.

 

Tavvy, not willing to leave his warm plate of chicken, glanced over at Kit. The Herondale, fearing the encounter that was to come, suppressed the urge to groan before slowly climbing to his feet. It was  _ his  _ responsibility to ensure Ty eats, afterall. Julian would  _ never  _ forgive him if he let the other boy starve. Besides, it wasn’t like they had to dive into a full blown discussion. All Kit had to do was inform him that dinner was ready. It wasn’t that hard. 

 

Just as Dru re-entered the kitchen, the young Herondale slipped out and slowly made his way towards the staircase. His heart began pounding loudly with every step he took towards Ty’s bedroom — the butterflies in his stomach growing more incessant. There was no point in repeating the words:  _ You’ll be fine. It’s just Ty,  _ because  _ Ty  _ was the reason he was so god damn nervous in the first place.

 

Once he reached the Blackthorn’s bedroom door, Kit drew in a sharp breath and slowly raised his hand to knock on the wood. One. Two. Three. The sound of his knuckles against the wood echoed loudly across the corridor, only to be met with silence. Frowning, Kit knocked a second time. One. Two. Three. Still, there was no response. 

 

“Ty?” Kit called out. “Dinner’s ready.” 

 

Again, no response. Suddenly fearing that perhaps Ty had vowed to never speak with him again, and was therefore ignoring him, Kit hesitantly retracted his hand and took a slow step back. But as he did so, Julian’s voice rang inside his head — like an alarm.

 

_ Keep an eye on him, will you? Make sure he eats. _

 

Kit had agreed to do just that, and he couldn’t go back on his word now. He’d just have to open that door, announce that dinner was ready, and annoy the other boy into eating. If he was lucky, there would be no conversation between them. That being said, Kit didn’t really want to be ignored either. 

 

Fingers wrapped around the door handle, the golden-haired male drew in another sharp breath and slowly pushed open the door. Inside, the room was quiet and dark, the pitch black void the only one there to greet him. At least, that was, until, his eyes adjusted and fell upon Ty’s sleeping body. 

 

In the dark, Kit could barely make out his figure. It was straining on the eye. So, ever so silently, he flicked on the light switch and prayed it wouldn’t jerk Ty awake from his seemingly peaceful slumber. Thankfully, the angels answered his prayer and the boy remained asleep, his head slightly tilted to the side with his headphones clasped firmly over his ears. A book — a Sherlock Holmes one to be exact — lay sprawled on his bare chest, one hand still clutching onto it. Ty had fallen asleep while reading, it seemed. 

 

Biting his lip to keep from staring at the other boy’s muscled abdomen, Kit slowly approached the bed and gently pulled the novel out of Ty’s sleeping grasp. It caused the younger male to stir slightly, but not enough to wake up — which was a relief. In actual fact, Kit didn’t really know  _ why  _ he was trying so hard not to wake the other boy up, he was going to have to anyway, wasn’t he?  _ No,  _ Kit decided. He wanted to let Ty rest. Dinner would be waiting for him in the microwave when he woke up. For now, Ty should sleep.

 

Reaching down to place the book on the bedside table, his blue orbs darting from the furniture to the boy, Kit couldn’t help but compare the sleeping Blackthorn to an angel. An angel at peace. 

 

He looked so young while he slept — like a small child, drifting through their dreams. The Herondale wondered what the boy was dreaming about, or  _ who _ . Was it Livvy? Jules?  _ Him?   _ He supposed he’d never really know. 

 

“I sometimes watch him sleep too,” a gentle voice spoke up. It was Livvy. She appeared on the other side of the bed, her Blackthorn blue-green orbs fixed on her twin. “It’s nice when he’s like this — calm and peaceful.”

 

Kit bit his lip, hard. “Are there nights when he is not so peaceful?” he asked quietly.

 

Livvy dipped her head in a small nod, a grave expression on her face. “The nights of restless sleeping occur more often than that of the peaceful,” she answered him. “I can do little to calm him at that stage. He needs a human touch. In the scholomance, however, I’m all he has.”

 

“Why doesn’t he just come back here, then?” the Herondale whispered. “Julian or Dru could be the ‘human touch’ he needs.”

 

The ghost of Livia Blackthorn shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that, I’m afraid,” she sighed. “Besides, joining the Scholomance has been Ty-Ty’s dream ever since he was a child. He’d think twice about ever leaving it — regardless of the nightmares.”

 

Frowning, Kit glanced back down at Ty. “He’ll be leaving again soon, won’t he?”.

 

“Yes,” Livvy responded. “That was the plan.”

 

“ _ Was?”  _ the Herondale echoed, blinking in confusion.

 

Livia only smiled at him. It was a sweet smile, but also a knowing one. Before Kit could question her on it, however, she disappeared and left him alone with a sleeping Ty. 

 

_ By the angel, he’s beautiful _ , he thought silently as he reached down to pull the covers up over his body. 

 

Once the boy looked comfortable, Kit slowly retreated back towards the door and reluctantly flicked off the light switch. Once again, the room was consumed by darkness and Ty was left to his sweet dreams.


End file.
